The Charge

Mr. Darcy: So this is your opinion of me? Thank you for explaining too fully.
Perhaps these offences might have be overlooked had not your pride…
Elizabeth Bennet: My pride? Mr. Darcy: …been hurt by my honesty in
admitting scruples about our relationship. Did you expect me to rejoice in the
inferiority of your circumstances? Elizabeth Bennet: And those are the
words of a gentleman. From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and
conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that
you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry. [they look at each other for a long time as though about to kiss] Mr. Darcy: Forgive me.

Opening Statement

I went to see Pride and Prejudice at the local art house cinema. You
know the kind—tucked in an urban part of the city, where soccer moms fear
to tread after dark. I bought a ticket, and was shocked when I swung the theatre
door open. The usual quiet and reserved "art for art's sake" audience
was not in attendance. Instead, I gazed over a sea of young teenage girls,
sporting cell phones with bling adorned to them in prime Paris Hilton fashion.
They were all gabbing with each other loudly about things teenage girls find
important—boys, make-up, and clothes. Somehow the word had gotten out that
the latest incarnation of Jane Austen's best book was "MTV friendly."
This was not a bitterly boring Masterpiece Theatre affair—it
starred an "it" girl, Keira Knightley (Pirates of the
Caribbean). Mainstream suburbia had invaded my art house as I settled in my
seat for the latest incarnation of Pride and Prejudice. And now here it
is, ready for everyone's DVD player.

Facts of the Case

Based on one of Jane Austen's most beloved novels, Pride and Prejudice
tells a tale of love clashing with values in the class-conscious England of the
late 18th century. The five Bennet sisters—including strong-willed
Elizabeth (Knightley)—have been raised by their mother (Brenda Blethyn, Saving Grace) with one purpose in life: find
a wealthy husband to save the family from financial ruin. When a well-off
bachelor takes up residence in a neighboring mansion, the entire village is
abuzz. Amongst the man's sophisticated and wealthy circle of friends, surely
there will be no shortage of potential suitors for the Bennet sisters. But when
Elizabeth meets up with the handsome and snobbish Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen,
Spooks), a battle of the sexes and wills is ignited. Can Elizabeth
swallow her pride and admit Mr. Darcy may be her destiny?

The Evidence

Pride and Prejudice marks the moment Keira Knightley emerged from the
rank and file of Hollywood beauties and became a bona fide actress. The film is
all about her performance, which sings with a lively, wise demeanor that reaches
beyond her youth to pull out something sublime. She makes the most of Elizabeth
Bennet, and you'll almost forget this story has been told many times before. She
holds her own when faced with the intimidating prospect of taking on Dame Judi
Dench (Mrs. Henderson Presents)
or Donald Sutherland (Six Degrees of Separation) as costars in several
key scenes. She is the magical reason all of this works. Also, her magnetic pull
made Pride and Prejudice a breakout hit with the young people. If you're
a fan or would like to become one, this is the only Keira Knightley film you
need own.

That's not to say other actors don't turn in fine performances—but at
just over two hours, there is so much story to cover nobody else gets
significant screen time. Yet you can still find fine work here from Brenda
Blethyn as the doting nervous mother, Donald Sutherland as the coolly amused
father, Rosamund Pike (Die Another
Day) as a humble older sister, Jena Malone (Saved!) as Lydia, the rebellious younger sister,
and of course the always immaculate Dame Judi Dench. And for all the women
wondering if Matthew Macfadyen measures up to Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy in the
acclaimed 1995 BBC miniseries? Obviously he does not have the benefit of five
hours to make you swoon, but he does look incredibly handsome and handles the
switch from "snobby" to "earnestly seductive" well. He
presents a more youthful take on the role, which is perfectly fine for this
production. The only two actors who are not serviced well by the shorter script
are the men playing Mr. Wickham (Rupert Friend, The Libertine) and Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods,
A Previous Engagement). They are forced to play the characters with one
note due to the brevity of their subplots.

Deborah Moggach (Masterpiece Theatre's Love in a Cold Climate)
creates an ingeniously fast-moving script which manages to capture the essence
of the novel. This is due in no small part to an uncredited rewrite by actress
Emma Thompson (Sense and
Sensibility), who is thanked in the closing credits. The two women remain
true to Austen's dialogue; the only liberty taken is with a final sequence,
which doesn't detract much from the spirit of the novel. The book contains many
serpentine twists and turns and is fraught with subplots, but this adaptation
concentrates on Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy quite well.

Physically, the production comes off handsome and lush. You'll want to visit
England before it's all over. Blame your next vacation to the British Isles on
director Joe Wright (Crocodile Snap) and cinematographer Roman Osin (I Am David) who pull off period-perfect visual
splendor. Costumes, sets, and interiors complete the picture with a lot of
energy. The ball scenes feature prominently in this adaptation, with plenty of
raucous energy to spare. I can't imagine a more sumptuous treatment of the
story. You'll be bowled over by the authentic settings and attention to
detail.

Universal affords Pride and Prejudice the dignity it calls for on
DVD. The transfer is quite sumptuous with the skin tones presented dead-on
against some of the washed-out color schemes of the interiors. All three
language tracks are presented in full surround, though the dubbing in the
non-English tracks seems more front and center than it should be. There are
three fluffy featurettes which concentrate all too briefly on the Bennett
family, Jane Austen, and the filming of the balls. Also included is the
promotional HBO First Look feature on the film. Central to the special
features is an excellent commentary from director Joe Wright. He stays
scene-specific throughout the film, and hits on what makes his version different
from all the productions that have come before. He says he owes a lot to the
teen films of John Hughes (Pretty in
Pink), which explains why he's aiming to make a hipper yet faithful
translation to the screen (no fair renaming the picture Pretty in
Petticoats, which I have taken to as of late). He has a lot to say about the
production, and he's quite insightful.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Do we really need another remake of Pride and Prejudice? Not only can
you cite the 1995 BBC mini-series starring Colin Firth (appearing as Mr. Darcy)
as the ultimate treatment of the novel, but it has also been done creatively in
several more recent projects. Bride and Prejudice stamped Austen with a
Bollywood curry flavor nicely; there was a puzzling Mormon version released in
2003; and Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth (again in the Mr. Darcy role)
updated the story most notably in Bridget Jones's Diary. During the
1990s we saw a rash of Jane Austen movies. This version seems almost a decade
late in joining the party. Even with a sublime lead actress, period-perfect
details, and zippy editing, the film feels as if it has all been done before.
It's still quite delightful, but it seems to bring with it the inevitable
cinematic deja vu.

Closing Statement

This production of Pride and Prejudice exists for two reasons: as a
star vehicle to show off Keira Knightley's acting chops, and as a pull for the
younger generation, who might not be likely to watch a five-hour BBC version
from ten years ago. There will be many people who claim the BBC production with
Colin Firth remains the ultimate adaptation, but this one is a nicely produced
(though condensed) affair that's just as well acted. It has a quick frenetic
energy that matches the youthful cast perfectly. You will fall in love with
Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), and in the end that's enough to recommend the film.
It's not often we get to see an actress burst in to full bloom with such rich
material serving her. Pride and Prejudice is a joy to watch, and it goes
down easily. Truly, it is one of the most entertaining highbrow flicks of the
year.

The Verdict

Guilty of making me want to go to England to find Keira Knightley. But she's
probably making out with Colin Firth on a gorgeous cliff somewhere. Sigh!